102 TIPS AND TOE-WEIGHTS. 



he was weaued he was led a few times by the side of the mothei-, 

 showing fine action when trotting. Tlie day he was eleven months 

 old, led him by the side of X X, and occasionally afterwaixls ; and 

 on the 26th of April, timed him a quarter of a mile in 1:10. . This 

 was certainly a fair beginning, and on the 29tli he made 1:07. 

 Nothing more was done with him until June 3d, when, led by the 

 side of X X, he trotted a quarter in 1:05 ; and on the 5th and 7th 

 in 1:04. On June 12th, he was harnessed and driven by the side of 

 X X — the horse in the shafts of a breaking-cart, the colt on the off 

 side, his traces hitched to a whiffle-tree, which was fastened to a bar 

 tied to the shafts, and projecting far enough for the purpose. He had 

 been driven previously with the harness on to accustom him to being 

 reined, etc., and drove Very quietly. On the 22d of June, he was 

 shod with tips, weighing about four ounces each. His exercise was 

 confined to leading him by the side of X X, and on the 26th of 

 June he trotted the " back-quai-ter " in 58 seconds, and tlie home- 

 sti'etch in 56 seconds. This was a manifest improvement, which was 

 ascribed to the tips favoring his action ; and on the 14th of July, he 

 was hitched to a breaking-cart, and he went quietly. On the 20th 

 of July, he was harnessed to a light sulky, but he could not trot 

 within 15 seconds to the quarter as fast in that as when led. This 

 was thought to be caused by striking his hind foot when going under 

 the front, and rolls on his hind pasterns improved him, but not 

 enough to show the speed when he was led. To test the effect of the 

 toe-weights, on the 6th of August, tips, with a " spur " welded to 

 them, were put on, spur and tip weighing seven and one-half ounces, 

 and on the following day he was driven with them and toe-weights 

 of three and one-half ounces. He trotted better, but pulled up quite 

 lame, which we thought was occasioned by paring the foot. The boy 

 who held him at the shop asciibed it to a twitch the blacksmith gave 

 his leg. He had driven the nails and taken the foot forward to clinch 

 them, when the colt tried to get his foot away. The smith had a gi-asp 

 with his left hand immediately below the knee, and the foot in his 

 right, and when the colt struggled he snatched it violently 

 \ipwai-ds. The diagnosis of the boy proved correct, as ulti- 

 mately there was swelling just below the trapezium. Think- 



